Fort
Brooks (1864) - In 1864,
Indians
were regularly attacking Cloud County,
Kansas and
soon the the locals organized the 17th Kansas State Militia with Colonel
J.M. Scholley leading the group. When the appearance of
Indians
forced many homesteaders to flee their land in August, 1864, the militia
determined to build a fort. Situated on Ensign G.D. Brooks land, the post
was named for the soldier. A blockhouse was built, the militia began to
patrol the area, and many homesteaders returned to their claims. The
temporary fortress was located in northeastern Cloud County on the left
bank of the Republican River near the present-day town of Clyde,
Kansas.

Fort
Cavagnial (or Cavagnal) (1744-1764) - Not a military post, this
fortress was one of many that was an early trappers and traders post.
Established before the Louisiana
Purchase,
it was built by French trader, Joseph Deruisseau, who, on August 8, 1744,
was granted a monopoly to trade with the Indians
along the Missouri and Kansas Rivers. The fort was named for Louisiana
Governor Pierre François de Rigaud, Marquis de Vaudreuil-Cavagnal and was
the most western fort on the Missouri River at the time.

The
fortress was small but substantial, including log buildings covered with
mud such as a commandant's house, guardhouse, powder house, trader's
house, and a building to house employees. It was surrounded by a stockade
and bastions at each corner. With plans to extend trade all the way to
Santa Fe,
New Mexico,
the post thrived for several years until the advent of the French and
Indian War, which seriously affected the Indian trade. However, the site
continued to be utilized until the fort was abandoned by France after
Louisiana Territory was ceded to Spain in the treaties concluding the
French and Indian war.

The
exact location of the post is not known, but, it was thought to have been
on the bluffs above the confluence of Salt Creek and the Missouri River
just north of modern day
Fort
Leavenworth,
Kansas.
The fort was still standing when
Lewis and Clark
reported on the site in 1804.